Shimesu & koromo — A Tale of Two “ふく”

Can you read these two kanji? Look closely — each one has a very similar component, both on the left. These are both hen radicals — components that appear on the left side of kanji. They look almost the same, but there’s a subtle difference: the left one has an extra dot (てん), which makes all the difference. The left radical is called しめすへん, and the one on the right is ころもへん.

e-voice Did you tap and saw the hidden inside? If so, you’ve just uncovered the secret behind these two look-alike kanji.

On the left of 福, we have しめすへん, which comes from the kanji 示（しめす）- which means ...
This radical is often linked to spirituality, offerings, or blessings — making sense for 福, which means “good fortune.”

On the left of 複, we have ころもへん, which is a variant of 衣（ころも）- which means ...
This radical relates to clothing, layers, or coverings — fitting for 複, which involves layers or duplication (like clothing items being stacked).

The difference is just one small stroke, but it changes the meaning completely. That’s the magic of kanji — every dot counts!

Quick Quiz:
Which of the following statements is true?

1. ころもへん is used in kanji about shrines and rituals.
2. しめすへん is linked with clothing and textiles./li>
3. しめすへん is linked with faith, blessings, and rituals.